M40FA640A/A - Mark I

User Manual

Automatic Voltage Regulator for Three-phase Synchronous Generators

(Issued: 09.2011)

SIN.NT.015.9
 INTRODUCTION

This Technical Note provides general installation and operating

information exclusively concerning the Marelli Motori regulator
code specified in the document, mounted on the Marelli Motori
synchronous generators specified in the next paragraph
“APPLICATION”.
Before the generator start and any types of regulation
operation, read carefully and completely this Technical Note.

IMPORTANT NOTE: It is not the intention of this document to

cover all the installation or connection diagram variations, nor
does this manual provide information for every possible
contingency. The connection drawings provided with the
generator, the generator user manual and all the technical
information provided by Marelli Motori Technical Personnel can
integrate this Note.

In particular, the connection drawings into this document are

provided only for explanation purposes. They do not cover all
the application cases and not substitute the connection
drawings usually provided with the generator.

Should further information be required, please contact After

Sales Department (see the reference at the end of the page).

SAFETY PRECAUTIONS

WARNING: when the regulation device is

energized (generator running), a lethal
voltage is present at the top panel
(connection side) and at all the parts electrically connected
to it. Furthermore, there are components into the card that can
reach high working temperatures, with high danger for the user
in case of direct contact.

Every wiring and/or mechanical installation

operation on the regulator must be performed only
in generator stop conditions, and only by skilled
personnel. Furthermore, pay attention to wait a time
interval sufficient for the device cooling-down.

Every regulation setting operation must be

performed with generator running in no load
conditions, by skilled personnel, using tools
suitable to assure the user safety (i.e. isolated screwdriver,
protection glasses and gloves).

Marelli Motori is under no liability for any damages which may

occur to the AVR, the plant or the persons, or for lost earnings,
or financial loss, or system stoppages, due to missed out
Technical Note reading (both safety and installation/operating
instructions).

AFTER MARKET DEPARTMENT

MARELLI MOTORI S.p.A.
Tel: +39 0444 479775 Fax: +39 0444 479757
E-mail: service@marellimotori.com
Web: www.marellimotori.com

SIN.NT.015.9 – M40FA640A/A 2 Issued 09.2011

 APPLICATION

The voltage regulator type “MARK I”, is suitable for

Synchronous Generators of MARELLI MOTORI make,
MJB series, size range 160-500 frames. This regulator is
proper to operate on machines rated from 10 up to 2000
kVA. The regulator is fully insulated in order to maintain
high reliability also with severe ambient conditions (high
level of humidity, dust, salt atmosphere), and in case of
high vibrations level. The regulator is proper both for single
and 3-phase operation.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION

Power supply voltage

170÷277 V
• ±10% of range tolerance, 50/60Hz
Voltage sensing (single- or 3-phase)
170÷480 V
• ±10% of range tolerance, 50/60Hz
Current sensing (1 phase)
0÷1 A
• 50/60Hz
Maximum continuative field current 8A
Maximum forcing field current
15 A
• 1 minute forcing
Maximum field voltage 100 V
Field resistance 3.5 Ω ÷ 20 Ω
Regulation accuracy
• No-load to full-load
±0.5 %
• Balanced and non deforming load
• Constant frequency

• With ±4% engine governing (steady

±1 %
state conditions for load and speed)

Thermal Drift
• For 50°C change from T amb, after 10 ±0.5 %
minutes)
Response time 1 cycle
Operating temperature -30°C / +70°C
Weight 670 g

Functions
Protection Under-frequency limiter
Over-excitation limiter
Internal fuse, replaceable
With external potentiometer, 100 kΩ
Control
for ∆V = ±5 % of the rated voltage
With external DC voltage signal (-3/+3 V)
Suitable for connection to power factor
regulator PFR M50FA400A
Parallel Reactive droop compensation, ±20 %

SIN.NT.015.9 – M40FA640A/A 3 Issued 09.2011

ITALIANO ENGLISH

AMP STAB SLOPE

FREQ

VOLT

P
Q
60
Hz

PAR RED YELLOW ON

LED LED
A
B

8 4
6 F 1 2 3
U
S
9 - + S6 S5 S4 S3 S2 S1 - + N U OFF
E

Micro-switches 1-4

TERMINALS

Connection terminals are performed through FAST-ON

terminals. The terminals have to be connected according
the applicable wiring diagram, in order to avoid any possible
mistake in the wiring.

U
Power supply terminals
N

S1…S6 Generator voltage sensing terminals

A
Generator current sensing terminals
B
+
Output terminals (to the exciter field)
-
9
- Terminals for connection to Varicomp M40FA621A

+
60
60Hz mode selection terminals
Hz
P
Terminals for connection to external potentiometer
Q
6
Terminals for connection to external control device
8

Connection to ground for internal EMI filter

Connection to ground of shield of shielded cables

SIN.NT.015.9 – M40FA640A/A 4 Issued 09.2011

 POTENTIOMETERS

- VOLT - potentiometer for adjusting the output voltage of

the generator. Normally the internal potentiometer VOLT
allows possibility of adjusting the voltage in a wide range
(i.e. between 200 and 560 V); to obtain a finer possibility of
voltage setting or to adjust the voltage from the control
panel, or in order to limit the voltage range, an external
potentiometer can connected to the terminal P and Q
(resistance about 100 kΩ, 1 W, to obtain voltage regulation
of ±5%).

VOLT
Increases the voltage setpoint

- FREQ - potentiometer for changing the low speed

protection corner frequency.
It is usually set at the factory in order to reduce the
excitation when speed becomes lower than 90% of rated
speed at 50 Hz (frequency lower than 45 Hz, or corner
frequency). By removing the bridge which normally shorts
the terminals Hz and 60, the speed protection acts properly
for 60 Hz operation.

FREQ
Decreases the corner frequency

- AMP - potentiometer for changing the over excitation

limiter; that limiter permits to protect the generator in case
of over excitation due to load conditions that could cause
the rotor damage.

Even if correctly set, this function does not substitute

external systems protections, it is only a completing device.

AMP
Increases the excitation current threshold

- STAB - stability potentiometer: clockwise rotation permits

to increase the regulation stability (the response time
becomes larger).

STAB
Increases stability and response time

SIN.NT.015.9 – M40FA640A/A 5 Issued 09.2011

 - SLOPE - potentiometer to change the low speed
protection characteristic slope: with the micro-switch 4
OFF, this potentiometer allows to increase or decrease the
under speed ramp slope, and set the voltage droop for a
fixed reduced speed.

SLOPE Decreases the voltage droop for a fixed

frequency intervention

- PAR - potentiometer to change the droop: this

potentiometer allows to change the voltage droop for
reactive compensation.

PAR
The droop increases

UNDERFREQUENCY LIMITER

The regulator is provided with internal circuits in order to

reduce the excitation, when running at low speed, in order
to avoid damages to the excitation system of the generator
(i.e. to the regulator, to the exciter field, to the rotating
rectifier, main rotor).

The potentiometer FREQ fixes the corner-frequency, that is

the frequency at which the limiter operates. Below that
particular frequency, red LED switches-on and the voltage
of the generator reduces further together with the generator
speed reduction.
By setting the micro-switch nr. 4 in OFF position, the
voltage reduction is smaller and is close to be proportional
to the speed reduction (voltage reduction is adjustable by
the potentiometer SLOPE).

STABILITY ADJUSTMENT

The voltage regulator is provided with internal adjustable

stability circuits in order to allow stable operation in a wide
range of applications.
The stability of the regulator can be set on field to adapt it
to the characteristics of the plant and/or the driving engine
(diesel engine, water turbine, gas turbine) in order to obtain
the best voltage response.

To change the stability characteristics of the regulator, it is

necessary to act on the potentiometer STAB (for fine
setting of stability).
An additional coarse setting of stability can be achieved by
means of the micro-switches number 1 e 2.

SIN.NT.015.9 – M40FA640A/A 6 Issued 09.2011

 OVER-EXCITATION LIMITER

This function permits to limit the over-excitation due to

particular load conditions that could cause the generator
damage.
As soon as the excitation voltage rises over a certain
threshold, set by means of the potentiometer AMP, for a
time larger than the limiter time delay, the over-excitation
limiter steps-down the excitation voltage to the threshold
value.
Limiter time delay depends on the amount of the over-load:
more the over-load arisen, quicker the limiter action.
Limiting the excitation voltage leads to the generator
excitation level decrease, partial or total, depending on the
over-load occurred. In case of excitation shutdown due to
the limiter, the de-excitation condition could be not
maintained.
WARNING: Even if correctly set, this function does not
substitute external systems protections, it is only a
completing device.
WARNING: in case of generator paralleled with a grid,
an over-excitation condition detected by the limiter can
lead to a generator excitation shutdown, with risk of
loss of synchronism.

LIMITER ADJUSTMENT:
for a quicker limiter setting, it is possible to momentarily
disable the time delay, by means of the micro-switch 3 (see
also the next paragraphs).
In order to properly adjust the limiter, the following
procedure must be applied:
- when the generator is running at the rated speed,
apply the maximum desired load;
- select position OFF for the micro-switch 3;
- carefully rotate counter-clockwise the potentiometer
AMP, until the yellow LED lights up and the generator
voltage decreases to a stable value, lower than the
rated voltage;
- carefully rotate clockwise AMP until the yellow LED
switches-off; the generator voltage must recover the
rated value;
- select position ON for the micro-switch 3.
If the procedure is properly carried out, the excitation
voltage threshold is set to a value 15-20% higher than the
excitation voltage at the maximum desired load, previously
applied.
Time delay depends on the amount of the over-load
occurred: it can range from 10s minimum to some minutes
maximum.

DROOP KIT DEVICE

The device is included in the voltage regulator, to allow

parallel operation between similar generators: the device
permits to share correctly the total reactive power required
by the load among all generators operating in parallel.

The device is composed by an external current transformer

(which senses the current in phase W) and the internal
droop circuit of the regulator. The C.T. is placed on phase
W; the phases U and V have to be connected to terminals
S1 and S2.

SIN.NT.015.9 – M40FA640A/A 7 Issued 09.2011

 The voltage regulator is provided with input terminals
(terminals A and B) for easy connection to an external
current transformer. Such terminals are normally shorted
by a connection bridge, when the generator is used in
single operation.
If the voltage is increasing as the load increases, it is
necessary to reverse the leads of the current transformer at
the terminals A-B.

CONTROL BY MEANS OF EXTERNAL DEVICE

External potentiometer

An external potentiometer for fine setting of the voltage

reference can be connected to the terminals P and Q.
This permits to:
- change the voltage set-point by means of remote
control device;
- set the generator voltage reference with accuracy
higher than the one of the internal regulator
potentiometer VOLT.
External potentiometer specifications are the following:

Setting range Potentiometer specifications

±5% 100 kΩ - 1 W minimum
±10% 200 kΩ - 1 W minimum

As soon as the external potentiometer is connected to P

and Q, a change in the global voltage reference of the
regulation system will occur; the internal trimmer VOLT
must be set again to the rated generator voltage.

In detail: put the external potentiometer cursor in mid

position, and after that, turn VOLT counterclockwise until to
reach approximately the desired generator voltage.

It’s now possible to operate the fine setting of the voltage

by means of the external potentiometer.

DC voltage signal from external control device

The AVR accepts a DC voltage analogue input of +/-3 V

(maximum range), to control the exciter field of the
generator.
This input has to be applied to terminals 6 and 8.

In case of single operation, a maximum change of +/-3 V

of the analogue input leads to a maximum change of +/-
25% of the generator voltage, with respect to the rated
generator voltage.
A value of 0 V at 6 and 8 terminals does not lead to any
change in excitation.

The analogue input is usually used for the voltage regulator

control by means of the Marelli power factor regulator, for
parallel operation with the grid.

SIN.NT.015.9 – M40FA640A/A 8 Issued 09.2011

 This input can be also connected to external devices not
made by Marelli, for remote control of the generator voltage
or the excitation during parallel operations (voltage
matching and power factor regulation), as long as those
devices were equipped with suitable outputs (insulated
outputs, and voltage regulation range not higher than +/-3
V).

WARNING: in the case of parallel with the grid, and voltage

regulator controlled by an external device by means of the
analogue input, pay attention to the analogue input
voltage value after the load rejection.

In this particular case, in order to avoid any dangerous

generator over-voltages, the voltage value between the
terminals 6 and 8 must be reduced to 0 V or to any values
leading to a generator voltage not exceeding the rated +
5%.

DROOP KIT DEVICE

The device is included in the voltage regulator, to allow

parallel operation between similar generators: the device
permits to share correctly the total reactive power required
by the load among all generators operating in parallel.

The device is composed by an external current transformer

(which senses the current in phase W) and the internal
droop circuit of the regulator. The C.T. is placed on phase
W; the phases U and V have to be connected to terminals
S1 and S2.
The voltage regulator is provided with input terminals
(terminals A and B) for easy connection to an external
current transformer. Such terminals are normally shorted
by a connection bridge, when the generator is used in
single operation.
If the voltage is increasing as the load increases, it is
necessary to reverse the leads of the current transformer at
the terminals A-B.

SIN.NT.015.9 – M40FA640A/A 9 Issued 09.2011

 MICRO-SWITCH

To change the stability characteristics of the regulator, it is

possible to use the micro-switches.
In such a way it is possible obtain changes in the transient
response of the regulator.

Micro-switch 1
ON
Transient response becomes faster

Micro-switch 2
ON Transient response becomes faster

Micro-switch 3
ON Proper setting of the excitation limiter - IT MUST ALW AYS BE KEPT ON POSITION ON

OFF Only for quick setting of the excitation limiter: it permits to disable the normal limiter time delay

Micro-switch 4
ON
Standard low speed protection

OFF Low speed protection with V/f slope adjustment (see SLOPE potentiometer)

FUSE

The voltage regulator is provided with an internal protecting

fuse (which acts in case of faults on the regulator or very
large overloads on exciter circuit).

EMI SUPPRESSOR

The AVR is provided with an internal Electromagnetic

Interference filter: this interference suppression system
permits to obtain compliance with relevant EMC standards
on MARELLI MOTORI generators.

ACCESSORY

Description Part number

Fuse
963823010
Ultra rapid, ceramic, 10 A – 500 V
External potentiometer
963824430
100 kΩ - 2 W

SIN.NT.015.9 – M40FA640A/A 10 Issued 09.2011

 12 TERMINALS
SUPPLY BY MAINS

SIN.NT.015.9 – M40FA640A/A 11 Issued 09.2011

 12 TERMINALS
SUPPLY BY AUXILIARY WINDING

SIN.NT.015.9 – M40FA640A/A 12 Issued 09.2011

 12 TERMINALS
SUPPLY BY MAINS + OVER EXCITATION DEVICE VARICOMP

SIN.NT.015.9 – M40FA640A/A 13 Issued 09.2011

 6 TERMINALS
SUPPLY BY MAINS

SIN.NT.015.9 – M40FA640A/A 14 Issued 09.2011

 6 TERMINALS
SUPPLY BY AUXILIARY WINDING

SIN.NT.015.9 – M40FA640A/A 15 Issued 09.2011

 6 TERMINALS
SUPPLY BY MAINS + OVER EXCITATION DEVICE VARICOMP

SIN.NT.015.9 – M40FA640A/A 16 Issued 09.2011